Later
by AliasDiva
Summary: Carter/Abby, takes off from the one that aired on 02/13/03 left off. If you like it please R/R.


Disclaimer: Okay, so this is my first ER fic, I've written plenty of Dawson's Creek ones in my days, but never an ER one. Please don't let the fact that I used to write Dawson's Creek scare you, I know the two shows' caliber level is as far apart as possible, but I promise I'm not horrible.;) Let me know what you think of this.  
  
-Martha  
  
Later  
  
"You don't love me. You should just go. Go now, before it's too late!" She yelled over the sound of the helicopter engine.  
  
She didn't understand.  
  
"That's not what I want!"  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"I want to marry you!"  
  
The anger that was in her face melted into disbelief; she couldn't have possibly heard him correctly.  
  
"What?!"  
  
"I want to marry you!" He'd always had to repeat himself with her; it was part of her charm.  
  
"You're proposing?" She sounded shocked.  
  
"Yeah." It was like someone had finally taken away all of the things he was afraid of, it was just him and her.  
  
"Are you crazy?" He wanted to marry her. He wanted to marry her. She couldn't have heard him correctly.  
  
"Well, then I'll fit right in."  
  
She paused for a moment, how could he possibly want to marry her. After all of the nasty things she'd just said to him, after that attitude she'd given him that day.  
  
"Abby." His voice took her out of her reverie of disbelief.  
  
She looked up, he'd gotten closer; his breath was mingling with hers in the air now as his mitten clad hands touched her face. She bit her lip; she didn't know what to say. Her heart was screaming, 'Yes do it! He's the one Abby! You love him! Say yes!' But her mind.wasn't so positive. She looked down again, afraid she'd see it in her eyes.  
  
"Abby, look at me." His voice cracked, he was worried. She hated it when he worried. Unable to deny his request she looked up. She let her hands touch his and squeeze them tightly.  
  
"I can't.I just.I need to think about it." She stumbled over her words, tears threatening to fall from her eyes.  
  
His hands slowly ran down her face and retreated back to his sides, hers' still enclosed in them, "Okay." He paused for a moment before taking a step back, "Okay."  
  
She opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted.  
  
"Hey, you two."  
  
They turned their heads, "Yeah, you two. You work here?" The paramedic asked while her colleagues were taking a gurney out of the helicopter.  
  
They nodded in response.  
  
"We could use some help then." She began to push the gurney towards the elevator, soon accompanied by Abby and Carter.  
  
"Who's the patient?"  
  
"Female, 32, Sarah Johnson. Attempted suicide." The paramedics voice was tight.  
  
"How?"  
  
Their night continued, they were separated each called into different duties, Carter finally decided to sign in for the night, wanting to give Abby her space, but be in close proximity to her at the same time. Neither of them could focus. Abby tried to avoid Carter, yet it was almost impossible. They'd attempted at a few conversations, but they were either one sided or had no substance.  
  
"Abby, go take a break or something." Dr. Weaver said, slamming Abby back into reality from the dreamy induced state she had been in, "I don't need you in here if you're going to stand there and be useless."  
  
"I'm sorry," she took a step forward and reached for surgical gloves.  
  
"Don't bother, Pratt's on his way in. He may annoy me, but at least he won't stand around and do nothing."  
  
"I'm sorry," Abby said, shaking her head, obviously flustered, as she left the room and mechanically walked towards the Doctor's Lounge, avoiding the looks from patients, doctors and nurses alike. She swung the door open and dramatically fell onto the inviting couch.  
  
"Long night?" She heard Susan's voice coming from the table in the corner.  
  
"You have. No. Clue." She put a hand on her forehead and ran it over her hair.  
  
"Where's your Mom?"  
  
"Probably at home, cleaning my apartment, complaining about how messy it is. Conjuring up different ways to get a hold of Eric without my knowledge."  
  
Susan wasn't startled by her friend's short diatribe; she took a bite of her apple. Abby couldn't sit still for any longer, she swung her legs angrily around and stalked to her locker. She flung the door open.  
  
"Men problems?" Susan asked.  
  
"Not so much, no."  
  
"What then?"  
  
"Carter proposed." Abby pressed her head against the cold metal, as she heard Susan choke on her apple, get out of her chair and walk up behind her.  
  
"Oh my God, Abby, that's wonderful. Congratulations!" She touched Abby's back.  
  
Abby turned around and Susan gave her a quick hug. "Uh oh. Silence.you did say yes right?"  
  
They pulled away and Abby fidgeted and looked around the room, biting her lip.  
  
"Abby." Susan pressed.  
  
"I said I needed to think about it, okay?"  
  
"Think about it?"  
  
"Yes, think about it. Is that a crime?"  
  
"Yes. It is." Susan said seriously, before breaking a smile. She enveloped Abby in a hug again; Abby buried her face into her shoulder and took a deep breath.  
  
"You're going to say yes, right?" Susan broke the silence.  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Abby, what reason do you have not to?"  
  
-- "Hey, Pratt, have you seen Abby?" Carter asked, while taking his coat off, and placing it in his locker.  
  
"No man not recently, last I saw her she and Susan were in some sort of deep trance girl talk thing that I interrupted."  
  
"Thanks." Carter shut his locker and pulled his jacket around him tighter, he walked towards the door, his freedom.  
  
All he wanted to do was go home, and sleep. Wash the embarrassment away and sleep his nerves into oblivion. His mind kept replaying the scene from the rooftop, wondering what on earth had prompted what he'd said. He could think of a thousand reasons why she could say no and why they wouldn't work, but they were all overcastted by one thing, love.  
  
He trudged up the stairs and opened the door to his building. He walked like a robot to his apartment, glad to see it after the long day. He sighed when he opened the door and threw his keys on the counter, walking through the dark to his room. Stripping off his shirt, he turned around and saw a figure in the doorway.  
  
"Abby?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"What are you doing here?" He walked over to her and gave her a hug, forgetting what had happened earlier that evening.  
  
"I thought about it." She whispered, hugging him back tightly.  
  
He blinked in disbelief, "And?"  
  
She pulled away and placed a soft kiss on his lips, "Yes." She pressed her forehead against his scanning his eyes for emotion.  
  
He smiled, before kissing her again, "Really?"  
  
"Yeah, do I have to repeat it for you?" She laughed.  
  
"I think you might."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Again." He began walking backwards towards the bed, his arms around her waist pulling her with him.  
  
"Yes." He fell back on the bed, and she on top of him. And it was then that they knew it was right, that the possibility of becoming one sounded better than ever. 


End file.
